Sneewittchen
by ButterflyMiko
Summary: Allen is the Prince of Misthaven, and his father Mana has just died despite his efforts to save him. Suddenly Sennen is there to become his new father, at the bequest of his brother Neah. No matter what Sennen just wants to find his happiness, but Allen's betrayal ruins it, starting a rift between the two that begins a Holy War.
1. Crown Clown

Rolling hills, deep rich valleys, rivers of cool clean water. This was the magical land of Misthaven.

It was filled with exotic luscious plants, intelligent animals, and brave people. The magic flowed through the land and ignited the spark of life in the world.

Today had dawned bright and clear. The sun shone bright on the world. It was Prince Allen's fifteenth birthday—his coming-of-age ceremony.

A young Allen Walker entered the main chamber of the castle, where King Mana was consulting several men. Allen was dressed in a nice suit.

"Let's be certain she's seated as far away from the Duke as possible, for the Duchess' sake." Mana said.

"Yes, ma'am." The men left.

"Do you like it?" Allen gestured to his outfit.

"Oh, my dear Allen. You are an absolute vision. You are going to be the talk of the ball, and not just because it's for your birthday." They hugged briefly. "Come. I can hardly believe you're growing up so fast. Which reminds me… I have a gift for you. It was my father's once, and his father's before that. And soon, it will be yours."

In another room, a silver crown sat in a padded box. Miranda picked it up and placed it on her head, then admired herself in the mirror. However, King Mana and Allen entered and caught her in the act. She quickly removed the tiara.

"Miranda." Mana said.

"Oh! Oh, Your Majesty. Oh, please forgive me. I just wanted to see-" Miranda said.

"How dare you? That's mine. It's not for a servant." Allen said.

"It was my mistake." Miranda said.

"Servants don't wear crowns." Allen said.

"Enough." Mana said.

"I'm sorry, Your Majesty-" Miranda tried again.

"No, I was talking to Allen." Mana said firmly.

"Me?" Allen was confused.

"I thought I raised you better than that, Snow. It doesn't matter whether one is a servant or royalty. Everyone in the kingdom deserves our love and respect." Mana scolded.

"But she took my crown-" Allen protested.

"She apologized. And it isn't yours yet." Mana shot back.

"Your Majesty, it's alright." Miranda said gently.

"You're kind, Miranda, but Allen must learn. My dear, we are all the same." Mana replied.

"But I thought we were royals." Allen was confused.

"We are, but that doesn't make us better than anyone else. The upcoming ball, for instance – can you tell me what it's for?" Mana asked.

"It's to honor me on my birthday." Allen said proudly.

"No. It's for you to honor them, by showing them you will be a kind and benevolent leader when that time comes. Please." Miranda hands the tiara to King Mana. "When you are crowned with this on your birthday, it will be a symbol that you will always hold goodness in your heart and rule justly. Now do you understand?"

"I do, father." King Mana handed the crown to Allen, who then walks over to the mirror. She put it on. "It's beautiful."

"And it's heavier than it looks." Suddenly, King Mana gasped in pain and his knees buckled beneath him. Miranda rushed to support him.

"Your Majesty!" Miranda cried.

"Father!" Allen cried.

"I'm fine." Mana said weakly.

"No, no. You're not." Allen said firmly.

Miranda eased the King into a chair. "Come. There. I'm getting the doctor." Miranda quickly exited the room.

"Father…" Allen said in shock and sorrow.

"I'm fine, dear." Mana comforted.


	2. Not So Benevolent

King Mana was now bedridden due to his illness. A doctor checked him over, while Allen and Miranda watched by the side of the bed.

"Do you know what's wrong with him?" Allen asked.

"Not yet, my dear. But I have hope that we shall know soon." Doctor said.

"Then he'll be alright?" Allen asked.

"Allen…" Mana said.

"Father!" Allen went to his father's side.

"You should call for the Queen immediately." Doctor said.

"W-what… What message shall I give him?" Miranda asked.

"That whatever business he's attending to can wait. He should be at his wife's side." Doctor said.

"We'll cancel the ball, and turn it into a celebration once you're better." Allen said.

"We can't cancel your birthday. It'll be fine. I will be well by then. I want to see you walking in that crown." Mana said.

"I don't care about my birthday. All I care about is you." Allen said.

Suddenly, King Mana began coughing. He called for Miranda through the hacking.

"Miranda." Mana said.

"Allen. Let's leave your father alone? It's alright. He needs his rest. Come." Miranda said gently.

"Father?" Allen said softly.

Miranda lead Allen away. The doctor returned to King Mana's side. When he pulled back his handkerchief, it was covered in blood.

"What's going to happen to him? Is he going to die?" Allen asked Miranda.

The two of them embraced. Allen cried against Miranda's shoulder.

"Shh… I don't know." Miranda said.

"I don't want to lose her." Allen said.

"We must hope the doctor-" Miranda attempted.

"He doesn't even know what's wrong with her. How can we place hope in him? There has to be something that can save her." Allen said.

"Maybe there is." Miranda said.

"How?" Allen asked.

"If medicine can't cure the King… Perhaps magic can." Miranda said.

"Magic?" Allen said excitedly.

"Yes. Your father has a confidant – someone few know about. Someone schooled with the most powerful of magic. I'm not really supposed to even know of this." Miranda whispered.

"Please, Miranda." Allen begged.

"There is a benevolent and mysterious person who can grant a person's wish, if their heart is true." Miranda said.

"Mine is. I swear. Where do I find this person?" Allen asked.

"Tonight, go into the woods where the sky is clearest. Wish upon the blue star… And that person will appear to you." Miranda instructed.


	3. Dark Candlelight

Allen was wandering in the woods with a lantern. He scanned the stars in the sky but could not find the blue star. Sennen arrived even when he didn't make a wish.

"Konbanwa Allen Walker." Sennen said. "I have found you."

"I knew you'd come, but… I didn't even make my wish yet." Allen said.

"Well, I know when I'm needed. Your father, the King, is sick." Sennen said.

"Yes. And if you don't help her with magic, she'll die." Allen pleaded.

"I can tell that you love your mother very much, Allen. But fairy magic is the purest magic of all. And, alas, cheating death is the darkest of undertakings." Sennen said.

"Please… You can't just let Father die." Allen said.

"It is the way of the world." Sennen said.

"There has to be something you can do." Allen noticed Sennen's demeanor change. "Yes. There is. You're just not telling me. What is it? Please."

"I may be able to conjure a remedy using a type of magic that is forbidden, except under the most dire of circumstances. You must promise to keep this a secret. No one must ever know." Sennen said.

"Yes. Yes, anything. Just help Father." Allen extended his hand.

Sennen magically conjured an odd looking candle, which appears in Allen's hand. "This candle is infused with magic that can save your father's life. But all magic, especially magic this powerful, comes with a price."

"What is it?" Allen asked, leaning forward.

"In order for one to live… Another must die." Sennen said.

"I don't understand." Allen was confused.

"To salvage a life beyond hope means breaking the laws of nature. So if you are to save a life, then you must lose one in return." Sennen said.

"But who must die?" Allen asked.

"That is for you to decide. You must hold this candle over the heart of your sacrifice and whisper their name. And, when the candle is lit, that person's life will be traded for your Father's." Sennen said.

"All he ever wanted was for me to be good. I can't trade someone else's life for his." Allen said.

"Then I'm afraid he will die." Sennen said.

All the time, Sennen was smiling.


	4. Funeral

p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""My prince, you look wonderful. Your father would be so proud." Miranda fixed Allen in a black suit, and placed Crown Clown on his head. "You will make a great king."/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""But he cannot be with me." Allen said sadly. /span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;""He watches over you." Miranda said. "He knows how strong you are, my prince."/span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;"Allen sighed and headed to the funeral service./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;"Throughout the mournful elegies, he felt the weight of Crown Clown and his own desperate sorrow. He clutched his father's favorite flower, a snowdrop, to his chest as he looked sideways at his mother Lucia./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;"Her eyes were puffy and wet with tears under her black netted headdress. She would rule alone now./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;"Allen couldn't bear to see his mother so sad. He clutched her hand in comfort and pushed his handkerchief into her clasped fingers. She smiled in gratitude and wiped her eyes./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;"As the procession went, it was finally Allen's turn to face his deceased father./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;"Allen stood and looked at Mana. It seemed he was only sleeping. Allen wanted to throw himself on his father weeping and beg him to get up. But he looked at his mother, brave and put together./span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;"Allen couldn't upset her. /span/p  
p style="margin: 0px; text-indent: 16px; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; font-family: Charter;"span style="font-family: Charter-Roman; -webkit-font-kerning: none;"So he put the snowdrop on his father's chest and stood at his side, refusing to leave even as darkness fell and the moon rose, and he could hear Sennen's cruel laughter in the distance./span/p 


	5. Rescued

"Come on my son." Ava helped Allen onto his horse.

"Mother...where are we going?" Allen asked.

"On a long journey." Ava said. "To ease our grief."

The two set off and rode deep into the forest, on their way to a neighboring kingdom.

Ava and Allen stopped in a clearing as the horses took a drink.

Neither of them saw Neah Campbell hiding in the trees. He reached out, and spooked Allen's horse.

Allen screamed as the horse took off. He grabbed on, terrified, as the horse galloped onto the Campbell estate.

His terror was intensified when he saw Sennen. He was dressed as a gentleman, not a clown, this time...but it was Sennen.

Sennen grabbed his horse and calmed it. "Allen...good to see you again."

"W-What do you want?" Allen asked.

"Just tell your mother how I saved you just now...it would be a shame if she discovered what you almost did to poor Mana..." Sennen smiled.

Allen leapt from the horse, and looked from Sennen to his mother, who was running towards them.

"Mother! This man saved me!" Allen said.

"Y-You did?" Ava said. "You saved my son. Please...do me the honor of being my new husband!"

Allen's mouth fell open in shock.

What had he done?


	6. True Love

Allen was heading to ride his horse again when he heard soft voices whispering.

Allen opened the barn door to find Sennen kissing a young woman.

The woman, Lucia, backed away. "Very sorry, young prince!"

She ran from the barn.

"Y-You don't love my mother! You just want to betray him!" Allen shouted. "You're trying to hurt us!"

"You must tell no one." Sennen said. "That woman, Lucia, is my true love. Do you know what that means?"

"I-I don't." Allen said.

"True love is the most powerful thing in the world." Sennen said. "When you find it you will always find the one you love, no matter how far you are from her."

"Always find her?" Allen said. "I see! I will tell mother!"

"You must not!" Sennen said. "My brother will never allow me to leave your mother. So Lucia and I must run away. Please Allen. I kept your secret. No keep mine."

"Yes. I promise!" Allen beamed. "I want you to be happy with your true love, Sennen!"


	7. Betrayal

Allen entered the barn to find Neah standing there, brushing a horse.

"Join me, young prince." Neah said. "Did you know that doing work like this strengthens the hands?"

"The hands?" Allen echoed, brushing the other horse.

"Yes." Neah said. "Hands are very important to me. I'm a musician."

"Wow!" Allen said. "What do you play?"

"There is no instrument that is unknown to me." Neah said.

The two brushed in silence for a moment.

"I heard that you lost your father." Neah said. "I am so very sorry."

"Yes. I am still very sad." Allen said.

"I feel sometimes as if I am losing my brother." Neah said.

"What do you mean?" Allen said.

"All I want is for him to be happy." Neah said. "But regardless of the fact that he is getting married to your mother, he does not seem happy."

"Well that..." Allen paused. He wasn't supposed to tell, but Neah would lose his brother. And Allen knew how it felt to lose someone; he'd lost Mana.

"He's in love with the farm girl Lucia." Allen said. "He wants to marry her, but he needs your blessing."

"Oh what wonderful news!" Neah smiled. "I'll be sure to tell him how happy he can be now!"

Rage

Allen came into the dressing room and watched as Sennen was getting fitted for a wedding suit.

"Sennen, you were wrong about your brother." Allen said.

"Wrong about what?" Sennen said.

"Yeah, Neah is very understanding." Allen said.

"What are you talking about?" Sennen said.

"I'm so sorry, Sennen." Allen said. "But I told Neah. I told him about Lucia."

"Why would you do that?" Sennen said.

"So you can be happy!" Allen said. "And now look, you two are getting married."

"No." Sennen said. "Lucia ran away. I'm very happy to marry your mother, Queen Ava. To be your father."

Allen hugged him happily, while Sennen had a look of absolute rage.

"Can't wait for the wedding!" Allen waved at Sennen's now composed face as he left the room.


	8. Strangulation

It was a year later and Allen was getting fitted for a suit.

Sennen was helping him with his tie, when Allen saw something peculiar in Sennen's jewelry box.

A snowdrop. It was an heirloom of Allen's family, but his father Mana had been buried with the only one.

"Sennen?" Allen said. "Where did you get that?"

"I don't recall." Sennen said.

Allen picked it up and tried it on. As he did so, he could see his father's face in the mirror.

Meanwhile as Sennen watched, he visualized strangling young Allen with the snowdrop.

He then gasped.

Sennen knew he didn't want to become a killer!

It must be all the pressure from Neah.

Sennen couldn't turn out like his brother!


End file.
